Finally a crack at Howling Ridge, weekend in the most beautiful part of the country with the best weather in ages thrown in. Drive down Sat morning, all the usual chat en route buzzing about the days ahead. Decided to not do Howling on the Sat as time was against us and we had the same weather due Sunday, good call number 1.
Spent the day rock climbing on the Gap of Dunloe on a beauty of a crag called Céim, well do-able routes (4c to E1) on a sheltered overhanging slab. I hadn't been out for a while so this was a great warm up/refresher, we tended to focus on problems and roping techniques more than routes, great days work. Pats gf Laura took the first fall of the weekend crossing back over the stepping stones of the River Loe but was cool enough to laugh it off. Kate Kearney's Cottage for a bit of Seafood Chowder and a few pints of Ale on the way home. Staying Travel Inn Fossa, considered camping but the nights in November tend to be fresh.
Sunday morning and we all had matching sore heads after crashing a 50th birthday party in the village pub... Breakfast didn't help matters as it looked to be soaked overnight in Uranium, green eggs gave us a slight sickly feeling as we headed up into Hags Glen, sun was out and the carpark looked busy.
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| Top of Heavenly Gates |
We took our time and paced the hours up to Heavenly Gates stopping at the emergency shelter built for stricken climbers, sun on our backs most of the way we reached the base of Howling. Carrantuohill looked to be covered in cloud and Sunday walkers were making their way down after an early bird start.
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| Emergency Shelter |
Fueled by Jelly Snakes, coffee and Surf Seeds, the 1400 foot climb loomed above us, we racked up and enthusiasticly made our way up the first 50m pitch, we believed 9 pitches moving in a group of three should see us to the top within the 3 hour mark. It was now 2.30pm and with the days getting shorter this meant a descent in the dark with head-torches was a defo. Weather started to close as the dusk set in, with long belay stops the cold also played a factor. Weather reports had given a wind chill of -5 on the peak but we were psyched, Pat led, cos he was the only one who could. (Pat is a climbing and safety instructor, the best rock climber I know but not the best there is, however he is one of the best all rounders in the country. Mountaineering, alpinism, ice climbing, navigation, mountain leader skills and general cop on in the hills, if you were to get into trouble at any point, you are pretty much covered in getting to safety. Or as a client of his discovered on Lugnaquilla, he can dig a mean snow hole that will keep you alive for 2 days!!). The climbing was rated V.Diff, hard in full boots carrying a pack.
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| 1st pitch |
Second pitch was much the same, third pitch a light scramble with little need for protection. The rock though was brittle at best, the flakes of granite came away too easily and rock fall was happening all too often.
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| 2nd pitch |
Pat traversed and started up the fourth pitch, leaving myself and Laura hanging on a safe spot belaying, Pat was taking his time and we knew he was approaching the crux of the climb (hardest bit), he was out of sight and the rope was not moving. Maybe he was having difficulty placing gear, maybe he had fallen, maybe he was taking a crap? We light heartedly joked about how long we leave it before ringing mountain rescue. 15 to 20 minutes passed then we started shouting to Pat, nothing. A few nervous wise cracks later and concern set in. Eventually Pat called, he hadn't moved now in ages and asked us to make our way around to him. Now we had only climbed 500 feet at best but with the drop of Heavenly Gates a fall would be about 1000 feet in total. Pat had fallen.
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| The drop |
A flake had come free and he dropped 20 feet to a ledge and onto his back. Muchos muchos shaken. His pack had taken the worst of the impact, he landed upside down and was pointing head first down the face. Oooooooops. He was clearly freaked but was standing with minimal injuries. After a bit of soul searching and reality, we knew it might now be dark by the time we topped out, the conditions of the rock were crap and Pat feared more for us as our level of competency was far less than his. If we made it over the crux, there was no turning back and we would be committed to the compete route like it or not. Abseil down - Good call number 2.
The abseil was long but well exciting, in fact probably the highlight of the trip, there was a lot of tension just before this but a lot of relief as we made the bottom. We made it to the base of Heavenly and started the walk out, it was dark. Pat was a bit sore and the walk out took longer than expected, we still had a 4 - 5 hour drive home to Dublin. I met with Michael O'Connor (a local farmer and genuine nice guy) and walked to the carpark at Lisleibane, we turned down the offer of a shower but I will be back to stay up in his during the coming winter season.
